Materials Experimentation
The PRUSA printers are able to be modified or tweaked to print with a variety of materials. if you are looking to experiment with something outside of the standard plastics, this can be easily achieved.
Workflow
Main Modifications
With Materials Experimentation, you will usually be looking at tinkering with the:
Nozzle Hardware
Print Settings
This is because the properties are different per material as a result of how they have been produced, different additives or compositions will naturally have different melting points and extrusion behaviours.
Process
Firstly, identify the properties of the filament, a collection of resources can be found below. These can also be usually be found under the details of the manufacturers. Another good source of knowledge is the maker community on websites and forums, use their experience as a starting point.
To make the modifications:
Hotend & NozzleMaterials ExperimentationSoftware/Slicer GlossaryTest out some small prints and make adjustments as necessary before attempting larger prints.
Common Troubleshooting
Common issues that may arise when experimenting with filaments include:
Filament Jam/ClogWorn NozzleStringing & Oozing HotendMaterials Library
There are a wide variety of plastics in FDM 3D Printing, each with its own traits. These plastics generally are classified based on their engineering properties such as heat deflection, softening temperature, rigidity and many more. There are many articles online that cover these traits and the links to them are located here.
PLA
PLA is probably the most common 3D printing material due to its ease of printing. It is widely available in a range of colours, very rigid but does not have good temperature resistance (beings to soften around 50-60°C).
PLA is very rigid, has low heat resistance, made from renewable resources and is biodegradable in industrial composting plants.
Details about PLA properties and how to print with it can be found here:
PLA also comes in a variety of filling and additives which can change it's final properties without affecting it's printability and print settings too much. You can read up on them here:
Some typical problems with PLA are also covered in our knowledge base here:
Filament Jam/ClogFirst Layer Issues/Prints Not Sticking to BedPETG
PETG is another popular printing material. It is what our plastic water bottles are typically made out of and has characteristics of being tough, good transparency and easy to print.
PETG is a tough plastic that bends and yields more before breaking. It is also odourless while printing and can come in transparent variants.
You can find out more about PETG here:
Some typical problems with PETG are also covered in our knowledge base here:
First Layer Issues/Prints Not Sticking to BedStringing & Oozing HotendABS
Unfortunately ABS cannot be used within the building due to its emissions when melted.
ABS is a very common plastic that's used in a lot of consumer injection molded parts. It is known for having good temperature resistance (up to 100°C), but has the tendency to warp and produce noxious fumes. Unless printed in an enclosure with HEPA filters (modifying the Prusa), it cannot be printed within the building.
ABS has good temperature resistance, can be acetone smoothed and has a good balance of toughness and strength.
You can find out more about ABS here:
Some typical problems with ABS are also covered in our knowledge base here:
Combating WarpingFirst Layer Issues/Prints Not Sticking to BedFlexible Filament/TPU/TPE
Flexible filaments lie in the spectrum of materials that are elastic and can be stretched like rubber. They come in wide range of flexibility and hardness and are graded in terms of Shore 00 hardness scale where the higher the number, the harder the material is. They are extremely useful in many scenarios which require a damping quality, impact absorption or elastic toughness.
TPU/TPE filaments typically print at slow speeds due to the elastic and softer nature of the filament. As such, plan your prints out accordingly.
You can find out more about flexibles/TPU/TPE here:
Some typical problems with flexibles are also covered in our knowledge base:
Filament Jam/ClogStringing & Oozing HotendNylon
Nylon is another one of the most used plastics around us. For instance, the ubiquitous zip-ties are made out of nylon. It is extremely tough, meaning that it doesn't snap or tear easily under load and still retains some structural strength even when it is deformed under excessive load. It is also very chemically resistant.
Nylon is very tough but not very rigid. It is also fairly chemically resistant and certain varieties of it can be heat resistant. It has a low coefficient of friction which makes it a viable candidate for making gears.
You can find out more about nylon here:
Some typical problems with Nylon are also covered in our knowledge base:
Combating WarpingFirst Layer Issues/Prints Not Sticking to BedPolycarbonate
Polycarbonate is a very strong, engineering grade material. It has very good impact resistance and is used in applications that demand these characteristics such as bulletproof riot shields. It has high temperature resistance (up to 110°C) and is tough as well.
Polycarbonate is very impact resistant and has excellent heat resistance. It is also a tough plastic.
You can find out more about polycarbonate here:
Some typical problems with polycarbonate are also covered in our knowledge base:
Combating WarpingFirst Layer Issues/Prints Not Sticking to BedFluorescent Filaments
Fluorescent filaments are as their name describes, are able to emit light through the phenomenon of fluorescence. They are typically added as additives in various plastics such as PLA and PETG to augment these material qualities.
Fluorescent filaments fluoresce (emit light) once they are charged with light energy.
You can read up more on fluorescent filaments here:
Use of these filaments require an abrasive resistant nozzle. You can read it up here:
Hotend & NozzleWorn NozzleCarbon Fibre & Glass Fibre Filled Filaments
Carbon fibre (CF) and glass fibre (GF) are known as materials that can augment the properties of a composite material. Similarly in 3D printing, these fibres are usually chopped and mixed into a plastic such as PLA, PETG and nylon. They can increase the stiffness, strength and temperature resistance of a plastic.
Carbon fibres and glass fibres are added to filaments as composites and generally improves the tensile strength, heat resistance, and stiffness of nylon when added. They are abrasive.
You can read up more about CF and GF filaments here (both are very similar, hence an article about carbon fibre can also be applied to glass fibre:
Use of these filaments requires an abrasive resistant nozzle. You can read it up here:
Hotend & NozzleWorn NozzleWood, Metal and Other Filled Filaments
These filled filaments generally augment the aesthetic property and quality of the plastic. The fillings are usually added to the plastic in powder format. However, they tend to be weaker than the base plastic and are slightly harder to print as a result.
Wood filled filaments can be sanded, oiled and stained like regular timber. Metal filled filament can have magnetic properties as well as look and feel of metal materials.
You can read up more about these filaments here:
Last updated
